Northeastern Illinois University’s College of Business and Management has earned initial accreditation by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.
AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education, and has been earned by less than 5 percent of the world’s business programs. Today, there are more than 775 business schools in 52 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation. Similarly, 185 institutions maintain an additional specialized AACSB Accreditation for their accounting programs.
“It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn AACSB Accreditation,” said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. “Business schools must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty and professional staff must make a commitment to ongoing continuous improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education to students.”
With AACSB accreditation, Northeastern’s College of Business and Management joins an exclusive club of Chicago-area business schools that includes the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
“This prestigious AACSB accreditation places our College of Business and Management among the world’s elite,” Northeastern President Sharon Hahs said. “It represents the hard work, community engagement and dedication to excellence that our students, faculty, staff and alumni demonstrate every day. We will continue to rise to fulfill the University’s mission to prepare a diverse community of students for leadership and service in our region and in a dynamic multicultural world.”
Northeastern’s College of Business and Management offers Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Accounting degrees. Undergraduate students may pursue the Bachelor of Science degree with majors in Accounting, Finance, General Business Administration, Management, and Marketing. The college also offers undergraduate minors in Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and International Business for those who wish to supplement or expand coursework in other disciplines.
“This a historic moment in the nearly 150-year history of Northeastern Illinois University,” Provost Richard J. Helldobler said. “I commend College of Business and Management Dean Michael Bedell, the college’s faculty and staff, and the students for their efforts in achieving AACSB accreditation.”
The College of Business and Management emphasizes learning through a variety of teaching methods, research and service.
“We have always taken pride in the value of a degree from the College of Business and Management, and this accreditation further enhances that value for our diverse community of current students, future students and alumni in an increasingly global business environment,” Bedell said. “This accreditation is a testament to their leadership and constant pursuit of excellence.”
As the world’s largest business education network connecting academe with business, AACSB provides business education intelligence, quality assurance and professional development services to more than 1,500 member organizations across 91 countries and territories. Founded in 1916, AACSB Accreditation is the highest standard of quality in business education, with more than 775 business schools accredited worldwide. AACSB’s global headquarters is located in Tampa, Fla.
For more on AACSB accreditation for Northeastern’s College of Business and Management, visit neiu.edu/aacsb.
